Why Your Exhaustion Is Ever-Present

Are you feeling unusually tired and unable to find relief to
your fatigue? Are you feeling overwhelmed or unable to get out of bed in the
morning – but perhaps feel a boost in energy in the evenings? You may be suffering
from a condition known as adrenal fatigue.

When your adrenal glands function below the normal levels,
it can cause a condition known as adrenal fatigue syndrome. Adrenal fatigue
normally follows periods of intense stress in your life or after an infection
or bout with disease. You will likely feel generally “unwell” and tired, long
after your illness has been healed. Adrenal fatigue can cause changes to your
metabolism, electrolyte balance, and cardiovascular system. It can be brought
on by poor diet, poor sleep habits, stress, and chronic illness or pregnancy.

Adrenal fatigue is a phenomenon characterized by a disruption of your adrenal glands’ ability to make cortisol in the right amounts at the right times in response to stress. The adrenals are the body’s hormonal powerhouse. Two little glands that sit on top of your kidneys, they’re the linchpin of a feedback loop coordinating nearly every hormone in your body.

Adrenal glands that
are in balance produce adequate
amounts of hormones to power us through the day. These hormones impact just
about every process in the body, from energy production and immune activity to
cellular maintenance and repair. They are key regulators of glucose, insulin
and inflammation, and play a major role in bone and muscle building, mood and
mental focus, stamina, sex drive and sleep cycles.

There are three stages of adrenal fatigue. Each one is
associated with a different type of cortisol imbalance, and typically people
progress from stage 1 to stage 3 sequentially over time.

Stage 1: Wired and tired

This stage is characterized by high cortisol levels,
especially at night, leading to insomnia, insulin resistance and abdominal
weight gain. People often feel energized but in an edgy “wired” way.

Stage 2: Stressed and tired

In this stage, many people wake up early in the morning
(often around 3am) and are unable to fall back asleep. Later in the day some
stressor kicks in, and they feel more awake. Their cortisol peaks early,
flattens out, but often has midday or early evening rise.

Stage 3: Burnout

This stage is characterized by exhaustion regardless of
hours slept, a flat cortisol curve, and in some cases low DHEA and thyroid hormone
levels ——– associated with higher risk of autoimmune disease.